Rotary radiator.



H. A. HIGGINS.

ROTARY RADIATOR. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 22,1915- 1 ,26, 1 9% PatentedM31.- 19, 1918 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

H. A. HlGGlNS.

ROTARY RADIATOR. APPLICATION HLED DEC.22. 1915.

l ,260, 1 9%., Patented Mar. 19, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

NW WW FIQ.

HARRY A. HIGGINS, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

ROTARY RADIATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 19, 1918.

Application filed December 22, 1915. Serial No. 68,161.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY A. HIGGINS, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in R- taryRadiators, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to a rotary radiator, and the primary objectof'my invention is to provide a novel water cooling device which may beadvantageously used in connection with the internal combustion engine ofautomobiles, aeroplanes and various parts of conveyances using highpower explosive engines which require an expeditious and economicalcooling device for the cooling agent of the engine.

A further object of my invention is to provide a rotary cooling deviceembodying liquid circulating tubes which present a large air impingingsurface, and associated with said tubes are supporting vanes or finsadapted to deflect air on and around the tubes and radiate ordisseminate heat and act as radiator fins whereby the contents of saidtubes will be quickly and thoroughly cooled.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a cooling devicewherein the parts are constructed with a view of reducing cost ofmanufacture and at the same time retain the features by which accuracy,safety, durability, simplicity and ease of assembling are secured, andwith such ends in view, my invention resides in the novel constructionto be hereinafter specifically described and then claimed.

Reference will now be had to the drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a frontelevation of the cooling device;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailed sectional view of a water leg and tubesin communication therewith;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of the cooling device taken on or aboutthe line III- III of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4: is a detail sectional view illustrating a portion of a water legand a manner of connecting tubes thereto.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 1 denotes a cylindrical drum-likecasing having axial hubs 2 and 3 to receive Water supply and outletplpes 4 and 5 respectively.

The hubs 2 and 3 are journaled in suitable bearings 6, and glands 7insure a non-leakable connection between said pipes and the hubs 2 and3. The hub 3 has a pulley or belt wheel 8 representing an element ofpower transmission whereby the casing 1 may be revolved.

In the casing 1 is a transverse stepped partition 9 providing chambers10 and 11 with which the pipes t and 5 communicate. Communicating withthe chambers 10 and 11 are radial water legs 12 and 13, having the outerends thereof closed, with the exception of detachable plugs 14 whichpermit of the water legs being drained, flushed and thoroughly cleansed.Each water leg has offset communicating longitudinal channels 15 and 16and the sides of each water leg have openings 17 in communication withthe channels 15 and 16, and seats 18 for gaskets 19. The openings 17 ateach side of the water legs are arranged in sets and rows extending fromthe inner ends of the Water legs to the outer ends thereof, with therows of openings at one side of the water legs in an alternate positionrelative to the openings in the opposite sides of the water legs wherebythe openings on one side of the water legs communicate with the channel15 and the openings upon the opposite side of the water legs with thechannel 16.

Each of the openings 17 has an angle connection 20 held in place by ascrew bolt 21 extending through the opening 17 and its communicatingchannel into the body of the water leg, as best shown in Fig. 2. Theangle connections of each set of openings oppose each other whereby theends of tubes 22 can be mounted in said angle connections. The tubes 22are circumferentially disposed with the tubes at one side of the devicein a plane parallel with the tubes at the opposite side of the device,and with such tubes comparatively flat and oblong in cross section, itis possible to assemble a large number of tubes in a givencircumference, thus presenting a large air impinging surface wherebywater or other liquid circulated in the tubes may be quickly cooled.

The drum-like casing 1 is formed with a peripheral rib 23 having spacedpockets 2*: and a seat 25 for a retaining ring 26, said ring beingsecured to the rib 28 by bolts 27 or other fastening means. Theretaining ring 26 holds the stems 27 of vanes or fins 28 within thepockets 24 of the rib, and said vanes 01' fins have edges thereofslotted,.as at 29, to receive the circumferential tubes 22.

These tubes are frictionally held'in the slots but may be soldered orotherwise se cured in the slotted edges of the vanes or .fins with theouter walls of the tubes flush or flu, said tubes will bind againstthevanes by centrifugal force during the operation of he rotary coolingdevice, and by the time water. or other liquid circulates through thetubes from one water leg to the other, the

water or liquid has become suliiciently cooled to be used in the waterjacket of an explosive engine.

From the foregoing it will be observed that the rotary cooling deviceembodies two sets of tubes at each side thereof with ameans admittingwater to all of the tubes opposed to a means of removing water from thetubes, and assuming that water passing through the pipe 4: into thechamber 10 and through the channels 15 and 16 of the water leg 13 entersthe tube 22, the same water passes into the channels 15 and 16 of thewater leg 12 and exhausts through the chamber 11 and the pipe 5. It istherefore apparent that the supply of water of the water leg 1'2 isdivided to enter the tubes and thatthe water circulates half way aroundthe device and has sufiicient time to cool when the device is placed inoperation.

In Fig. i there is illustrated a slight modification of my invention,showing the manner of connecting the confronting ends oftubes to a waterleg by clamping device, thus obviating the necessity of using a screwbolt at each end of a tube. also eliminating considerable machining inconnection with a water leg. In this view 30 denotes a portion of awater leg in COlllll'llllliCiI-ilOll with elbows 31 connected to theends of tubes 32. The waterlcg 30 has a boss 33 and detachably connectedthereto by a screw bolt 34: is a clamping member 35 engaging the elbows31 and holding said el bows in position relative to the water leg.

#Vhen the cooling device is used in connection with an aeroplane, it maybe driven by a current of air impinging the vanes or this when theaeroplane is in action. and suflicientpower may be derived from thedriven radiator to operate a small pump employed for circulating waterthrough the rotary radiator and the water jacket of anengine. In view ofthe fact that the rotary coolingdevice may be. utilized for liquidcooling purposes in connection with various kinds Ofapparatus, I do notcare to limit ,my invention to any specific circulation of ing chamberstherein adapted to receive water, opposed water legs incommunicationwith the chambers of said casing; angle con nections onopposite sides of said water legs, tubes having the ends thereof coirnected to said angle connections and said tubes concentrically disposedabout said car'- ing said casing havin pockets in the pe-" ripherythereof, and radially disposed slotcasing adapted for rotation, saidcasinghavted vanes supporting said tubes intermediate said water legsand having stems in the pockets of said casing, and a retaining ringholding the vane stems in thecasingpockcts.

2. A water cOOling device comprising a casing adapted for rotation andadapted to receive water, opposed water legs in communication with saidcasing and each having communicating channels, angle connections atopposite sides of each waterleg communicating with the channels thereof,means extending the angle'connections and channels of said water legstoengage in said water legs to hold said angle connec tions in place,circumferentially disposed fiat tubes havmg the ends thereof connectedto said angle connections and diagonally disposed vanes on the peripheryof said casing connected to and supporting said tubes intermediate theends thereof.-

3. A water cooling device comprising a rotary casing having 'chambcrsformed therein, water legs communicating with said chambers, parallelsets of concentric fiattubes connectin said water le s and ada ted toconduct water from one ofthe chain-- bers of said casing to the otherchamber,

and vanes carried by said casing and having the side edges thereofslotted to receive said tubes and support said tubes relative to saidwater legs.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

V HARRY A.-I-HGG1NS. Witnesses ANNA M. Donn, KARL H. BUTLER.

Min of thispatent maybe obtained for five cents each, by; addressing theCommissioner or Patents,

Washington, I). C. i

